Detergent compositions useful for cleaning purposes, such as laundering of fabrics, have commonly utilized a variety of surfactants.
The ability of detergent compositions to clean a large variety of soils and stains from other fabrics present in the typical load of laundry is of high importance in the evaluation of detergent performance. Each surfactant has both strenghts and weaknesses. Consequently, detergent compositions are formulated with more than one surfactant active in order to maximize advantages and minimize disadvantages.
The relative ability of each surfactant to meet various performance criteria is among others depending on the presence of adjunct detergent ingredients.
One of the types of adjunct detergent ingredients that is added to detergent compositions are dye transfer inhibiting polymers.
Said polymers are added to detergent compositions in order to inhibit the transfer of dyes from colored fabrics onto other fabrics washed therewith. These polymers have the ability to complex or adsorb the fugitive dyes washed out of dyed fabrics before the dyes have the opportunity to become attached to other articles in the wash.
Polymers have been used within detergent compositions to inhibit dye transfer. Copending European Patent Application No. 92202168.8. describes polyamine N-oxide containing polymers which are very efficient in eliminating transfer of solubilized or suspended dyes.
It has now been found that polyamine N-oxide containing polymers are very compatible with surfactant systems. In addition, it has been found that the dye transfer inhibiting performance has been increased in the presence of certain surfactants.
This finding allows us to formulate detergent compositions which have both excellent dye transfer inhibiting properties and overall detergency performance.
According to another embodiment of this invention a process is also provided for laundering operations involving colored fabrics.